Military game



-April 20, 1943,

MILITARY GAME Filed May 26, 1941 j 1] .90 I a2 35 l/a/zez'fif/ /a a/"d 24 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS w. K. HAGGARD ET AL. 2,316,862

Patented Apr. 20, 1943 MEITARY GAME Walter K. Haggard and Fern L. Butler, Amarillo, Tex.

Application May 26, 1941, Serial No. 395,290

3 Claims.

This invention relates to games, and its general object is to provide what may be termed a military game which we have named-Strate y. in that it includes a game board and two sets of opposing playing pieces or units, one set for each player, and which simulate military characters, the board having two like zones thereon, one for each set to be initially occupied or controlled thereby, and a neutral zone known as no mans land separating the first two zones which together with the neutral zone constitute playing areas having diiierent routes along which the units, except two in the form of flags, are moved from a starting position in their own territory, for disposal across the same, thence across the neutral zone and finally across the opponents zone or enemys territory, to capture the enemys flag and thereby win the game, but only one unit known as the general in each set can capture the flag and the players exercise strategy by playing the units in accordance with the rules of the game, to prevent the flag from being captured.

A further object is to provide a game including a board having different zones thereon and different type routes through the zones, along which the units are moved, but certain units cannot be moved along certain routes, and the routes intersect and cross each other, as well as have stations at intervals along the same, which constitute stopping places for the units.

Another object is to provide a game including a board having Zones thereon other than those above referred to, and which constitute prison camps in which captured playing units are temporarily confined, as they can be put back into play in accordance with the rules, and along routes extending from the prison camp zones or areas, and to the playing zones.

A still further object is to provide a game that not only brings about much amusement and fun but requires thought and study to properly play the same, as it is primarily designed for two players to test their skill and ability, to maneuver the units in a manner to win the game.

This invention also consists in certain other ,features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be here inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in 'the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the playing board.

Figure 2 illustrates the playing pieces or units of one set in rear elevation, with the exception of the "fiag unit.

Figure 3 illustrates in side elevation.

Figure 4 is a side view of the flag unit.

Figure 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the refer ence numeral I indicates the board which may be made from any suitable material, but in any event has a fiat upper face which has printed or otherwise provided thereon, indicia that constitute the playing areas for the playing pieces or units to be later described.

The indicia includes a plurality of stars 2 arranged in rows and grouped together with sub stantially square blocks 3, to present a substan tially diamond shaped configuration. Extending through all of the stars and blocks are fine single lines 4 that constitute ground routes and extending through certain of the stars and blocks are hatched lines 5 that constitute railway routes. It will be noted from Figure 1 that there are twenty rows of stars and square blocks, and the space between each group of ten provides a neutral zone, known as no man's land, and each group constitutes playing zones to be initially occupied or controlled respectively by the sets of playing units, with the playing zones separated by the neutral zone.

In each of the playing zones the lines 4 and 5 extend at inclined angles through and from the stars and blocks, but in the neutral zone, the lines extend straight across the same and in parallelism with each other. At the outer ends of the playing zones the hatched lines or railway routes extend therefrom in triangular formation, with the apexes 6 thereof outermost and each apex 6 provides a flag station.

The two inner rows upon opposite sides of the neutral zone have four blocks at each of the ends thereof and extendin outwardly from each of the innermost blocks are pairs of semicircular lines I that constitute the inner air routes, while a pair of circular lines 8 ar disposed concentrically about the semicircular lines, and the lines 8 constitute the outer air route. The lines 8 are disposed about the outer sides of the outermost blocks of the sets of four, as clearly shown in Figure 1. Extending diagonally between each set of four blocks are pairs of crossed lines a that connect the inner air routes with the outer air route.

All of the blocks 3 are disposed along th lines the playing units of Figure 2 land 8 and they constitute airports or stations III. The stars having only the single lines 4 extending therethrough constitute ground stations I I, while the star that have the hatched lines extending therethrough constitute railway stations I2. In all instances, the ground routes or lines 4 extend through the stars that constitute the railway stations and in all instances, the ground routes extend to and through the airports, while only some of the airports have railway routes extending to and through the same.

Arranged diagonally of the playing zones that are made up of the stations and routes for disposal upon opposite sides thereof are substantially triangular shaped areas or zones I3 and I 4 providing prison camp area and these areas are each provided by double lines I5 that extend from the apex thereof in rounded formation to provide return routes I6 and II that follow the shape of the outer air route. The routes I6 and I1 terminate in points I 3, and the point of the route I6 contacts one of the outermost ground stations in the fourth row from the outer end of one playing zone. That ground station, for distinction is indicated by the numeral I9, and the point of the return route I! contacts one of the outermost ground stations in the fourth row from the outer end of the other playin zone, and the latter ground station is indicated by the numeral 29. The outer ground stations at the opposite ends of the last mentioned rows are indicated respectively by the reference numerals 2I and 22.

Extending from the prison camp area I3 is an arrow 23 that has the point of its head convtacting the ground station 2! and an arrow 24 extends from the prison camp area I4, with the point of its head contacting the ground station 22. likewise provide a guard station, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The return routes I6 and I? each have seven circles 25 disposed therein, in equi-distantly spaced relation with respect to each other and the circles are numbered consecutively from 1 to 7, with the circles having the numbers 1 therein disposed at the apex of the prison camp areas.

There are preferably fifty-eight playing pieces or units, to make two sets of twenty-nine units each, and the units, as best shown in Figures 2 to 5 are shaped in the form of military characters. Each set includes one flag unit 26, one general unit 27, five tank units 28, six gun units 29, seven airplane units 38 and nine soldier units 3|. Each of the units 27 to 3| include a disk shaped base 32 having formed .on the upper face thereof the designating character of that unit, but the characters which simulate the tanks and planes are preferably disposed at an inclination and formed on truncated conical members 33, as clearly shown in igure 3. Each flag unit includes a stafi 34 and a base 35, the latter being formed by strips radiating at an angle from the stafit, as best shown in Figure 5.

Each set of playing pieces or units are of a different color, so that one set can be readily distinguished from the other, and each of the routes are of a different color so that they can likewise be readily distinguished from each other. However, the inner and outer air routes maybe of the same color, and the same is true with respect to the crossed lines 9. The blocks 3 are preferably also of a different color from that of the stars 2, and the areas l3 and I4 may be a different color from that of the top of the board I, but in any event the lines I5 and particularly The ground stations 2! and 22 each that portion thereof which provide the return routes I6 and I! are of a color, so that they can be readily distinguished from the top of the board, as will be apparent.

The game may be played with simple rules or a set of complicated rules may be provided therefor. In any event, two players participate, each playing one set of units only. The game is started by placing the flag units on the apexes 6 or flag stations of the outer triangles, and the general units within the triangles in close proximity to the flag stations. The remaining units are distributed on the stations of the first seven rows at the ends of the playing zones, with the airplane units positioned on the air stations. The first five rows are preferably filled with units, while three "airplane units are disposed in the sixth row and two in the seventh row, with the result it will be seen that each set of units in their initial position are disposed at the end portions of the playing zones, a considerable distance from the neutral zone or no mans land.

The object of the game, as previously set forth is for the players to maneuver the units in a manner so that the general unit can be moved from one flag unit to the-other, and the f rst player that succeeds in doing that wins the. game.

The players decide who should have the first love and the first player can move certain of his unit along any of the routes and others along certain routes. In the event there is no unit in the path of the unit to be moved, the latter is moved from station to station, but should a unit be in that path, the mov d unit is umped over h me, and the jumpe uni is either capt red or destroyed. The captured units are placed in the prison camp and the destroyed units are removed from play, but the captured units can be placed back into play, in a manner which will be later described.

The "general unit may be used on the railway or air routes in ms own territory, but can use all three of the routes, namely, air, ground and railway routes when the general unit enters the enemy territory. The general unit is never jumped, but can be used to jump over any of its companion units, but not any .of the opposing or enemy units, as the object is to try to trap the general units by disposing the opposing units about the same.

The soldier units can be used on the air, railway and ground routes, but must be moved .to an airport or station along ground or railway routes, before they can be used on the air routes. The soldier units destroy enemy soldier units whenever they jump them and capture airplane, gun and tank units by jumping.

The gun units are never used on'the air routes. They may occupy the airports or stations but must reach and leave them by railway or ground routes. When the "g-un units are used to jump enemy units, they destroy the same.

The tank units are never used on the air routes, but they may be used to jump any unit on an airport. When they are used to jump an enemy airplane or tank unit, the jumped units are destroyed, providing the. jumped --airp'laneunits are not positioned on an airport station, as when so positioned, an airplane unit is'captured. The tank units also capture all gun and soldier units they jump. V

The plane" units can be moved on all air, railway and ground routes and they destroy all ,ene my airplane units, but capture all other units.

Destroyed units are moved from play as previously set forth, but captured units are placed in the prison camp areas subject to release. The captured units are released from the prison camp areas one at a time, but they can be released only at such time a unit has advanced into the enemys territory and is positioned upon a guard station 2| or 22. The first unit to be released from a prison camp is placed upon the circle having the number 1 therein, the second released unit upon the circle having the number 2 therein, the third upon the circle having the number 3 therein, and so forth until they reach the ground stations l9 and 20, and thence they are back into play. It will be understood that a player must wait his respective turns for removing each unit from the prison camp area, and a unit may be moved along the routes of the playing areas by that player, at the same time. The units may likewise be released from the prison camp areas when a general unit is trapped or surrounded by enemy or opposing units, and in that event it is not necessary that the guard station be occupied.

The foregoing are the simple rules for playing the game and they may be varied or changed to render the playing of the game very complicated, but in any event the rules described are suilicient for the purpose of the application, as they set forth one way in which our game can be played.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A military game apparatus for playing a game with playing units and goal units, comprising a board provided with a flat upper surface having two opposed playing zones thereon and a neutral zone separating the first zones from each other, lines extending substantially throughout the entire area of all of the zones,

said lines intersecting each other in said playing zones and extending transversely across the neutral zone, said playing zones having means at the outer ends thereof for positioning the goal units thereon during the playing of the game, said lines providing routes for the movement of the playing units along the same, substantially triangular areas disposed upon opposite sides of said playing areas for receiving units taken out of play, curved lines extending from the apexes of the triangular areas to points adjacent the outer ends of said playing zones and providing routes for returning the units into play, and stopping stations for the units and disposed at intervals along said routes.

2. A military game apparatus for playing a game with playing units and goal units, comprising a board having two opposed playing zones thereon and a neutral zone separating the first zones from each other, lines extending substantially throughout the entire area of all of the zones, said lines intersection each other in said playing zones and extending transversely across the neutral zone, said playing zones having means at the outer ends thereof for positioning the goal units thereon during the playing of the game, said lines providing routes for the movement of the playing units along the same, stopping stations for the playing units and disposed at regular intervals along the routes, substantially triangular areas disposed upon opposite sides of said playing areas for receiving units taken out of play, curved lines extending from the apexes of the triangular areas to points adjacent the outer ends of said playing zones and providing routes for returning the units into play, the return routes having numbers thereon disposed in equi-distantly spaced relation to each other and to indicate the manner of returning the units into play, and a circle about each number for cooperation therewith to provide stopping stations for the returning units.

3. A military game apparatus for playing a game with playing units and goal units, comprising a board having two like opposed playing zones thereon and a neutral zone separating the rst zones from each other, lines extending substantially throughout the entire area of all of the zones, said lines intersecting each other in said playing zones and extending transversely across the neutral zones, said playing zones having means at the outer ends thereof for positioning the goal units thereon during the playing of the game, said lines providing routes for movement of the playing units along the same, substantially triangular areas disposed upon opposite sides of said playing areas for receiving units taken out of play, curved lines extending from the apexes of the triangular areas to points adjacent the outer ends of said playing zones and providing routes for returning the units into play, stopping stations for the units and disposed at intervals along said routes, and arrows extending from the triangular areas and pointing to certain of the stopping stations for the latter to have a certain relation with the triangular areas regarding the returning of the units to play.

WALTER K. HAGGARD. FERN L. BUTLER. 

